Report: Nintendo Switch Isn't as Powerful as a PS4

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

It's a handheld. Why do people expect this device to cure cancer?

We are at the point where graphics seem to be the most important factor in games. If the Switch can't deliver, then it won't find mainstream acceptance.

 

[KaraFang]

(sigh) Am I the only person on God's green earth that understands that graphical power has nothing to do with how good the games are?


I am?


Well, my mom always said I was special.

There is a point where graphical power DOES become a requirement for "good" games. For example, if (as someone has mentioned on youtube- coughs- TB.) you got to play the new Zelda game demo on a prototype switch and the game is laggy as fuck, that reduces the quality and enjoyment of the game and gameplay.

If everything feels like slow moving syrup, then thats NOT good... for combat, movement, etc etc etc.

Imagine the Witcher 3 with a framerate of 15 frames a second (shudders)

 

[Guffe]

If someone who is real tech-savvy sees this, can someone answer me if consoles are going to get much more powerful than the Ps4/Xbox1?

To hear Sony and Microsoft say it, the future of consoles is going to be upgradeable components. At which time they will cease being consoles, and become just very restrictive PCs. So they will be more powerful, eventually, but they will always be behind PCs.

Oh, I have completely missed that
Thanks.
And yeah, as you said, console will always be behind computers. Besides, if consoles start with "upgradeable machinery" they will surely make custom pieces which cost a ton more than computer parts.
We'll see where the world of consoles is going soon enough I guess.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Shock horror. Nintendo consoles have never been the most powerful on the market. This isn't so much breaking news as it is confirmation of what we all suspected would be the case. Besides, you probably don't need a Quad-Core EPeen 9000 running at 12.8 CircleJerks to process the textures on the next Paper Mario title. : /

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I agree, their games always look great because they know how to use what they have got and play well since they make that their priority. However, the third party support will suffer, since they don't know how to do anything but try push the limits on the visuals etc.

My own opinion of Nintendo [footnote]which is a brutal, love hate relationship because I love their games but hate hate their BS marketing practices[/footnote] aside, maybe this is more of an issue with third party devs?

I don't understand why most devs are obsessed with looking pretty anyway. It's not an issue for Atlus and look how much profit they make, whereas devs such as Square constantly over bloat their budgets, Tomb Raider sold 3.4 million copies and did not meet expectations. At this point, it feels like any dev that makes games for consoles and pushes graphics before all else must be allergic to money.

Games don't even need to be ultra realistic in order to be pretty, Okami and Windwaker have aged beautifully.

Power was never the main selling point of consoles, it was ease of use. With every generation becoming more and more like restricted PCs, they are destroying the reason for their own existence. If devs want to make the hardware melt, maybe they should just bite the bullet and make PC games.

 

[JohnZ117]

Sony and Microsoft go for strength, Nintendo goes for the better known and less expensive to achieve versatility. This is the "Lateral use of withered technology" [https://medium.com/@adamagb/nintendo-s-little-known-product-philosophy-lateral-thinking-with-withered-technology-bac7257d8f4#.7o3ns1tpn/] that has been a part of Nintendo's philosophy, longer than many of you have been alive.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

To echo the dominant sentiment:

1) It's a handheld console.
2) What did you expect?

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Well, not surprising at all. But still slightly disappointed. Wouldn't a handheld with the PS4's performance be pretty fucking neat. Especially with Nintendo games on it?
Oh well, as long as it's moderately powerful and doesn't suffer when outside of the docking station, I will be satisfied.

 

[Saelune]

Can the PS4 play Legend of Zelda? No?

Then so what?

But then what do games even use this vague "power" for anyways? Nintendo made games are always nice looking, and I dont care for super high-level visuals. I dont see the difference between the new Skyrim and the old, aside from no way to turn DLC off easily.

I also couldnt tell the difference between the normal and HD versions of Wind Waker, but Wind Waker could be released today as is and look fine as far as Im concerned.

And people need to stop expecting Nintendo to directly compete with Sony and Microsoft. They dont and it is to their advantage. The PS4 and Xbox One are interchangeable at this point. But the Wii U stands out.

 

[Quellist]

Well screw you Nintendo.

I didn't have much hope for this console in the first place but now it's right off my list....unless it gets Xeno lade X2 that is

 

[loa]

A tablet isn't as powerful as a dedicated stationary black box. Shocking revelations.

 

[Bedinsis]

A bit disappointing, but I hope this means the battery life will be good.

Moore's law ceased to be true this year so the difference between the very latest chips and the second latest chip should on the graphics side not be *that* big of a difference, and historically the most graphically advanced consoles are not the ones who have sold the best, so I don't think it is unreasonable that Nintendo can go by with "sufficiently" good graphics. It's battery life that worry me.

I see the Switch as Nintendo preparing for a console less future, and their value added feature would then be that it can be taken and played anywhere; if they screw up that part of the equation it will just be another console with a cumbersome controller. So it's reports of battery life that I am on the look-out for.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Well, it is just a tablet with attachable buttons and sticks.
It is an original system.
And it is going to flop.

When nyou consider that there's a finite number of smart devices a person is willing to lug around. They already have a samsung or ipad, or a smart phone. And let's face it. The 3ds is a better fit for mobile gaming.

What nintend o is trying to do is merge the console and hand held markets into one... which is why their stock prices took a hit because analysts knew that would ammount to a contraction as opposed to an expansion.

 

[laggyteabag]

Not really sure that anyone expected a tablet to have the same specs as a PS4. That being said, Im also not really sure what market this thing is even aimed at. Though, if it doesnt have the same specs as a PS4, then I highly doubt that it is going to pull in the 3rd party developers for the big AAA games.

 

[Redvenge]

My own opinion of Nintendo aside, maybe this is more of an issue with third party devs?

I don't understand why most devs are obsessed with looking pretty anyway. It's not an issue for Atlus and look how much profit they make, whereas devs such as Square constantly over bloat their budgets, Tomb Raider sold 3.4 million copies and did not meet expectations. At this point, it feels like any dev that makes games for consoles and pushes graphics before all else must be allergic to money.

Games don't even need to be ultra realistic in order to be pretty, Okami and Windwaker have aged beautifully.

Power was never the main selling point of consoles, it was ease of use. With every generation becoming more and more like restricted PCs, they are destroying the reason for their own existence. If devs want to make the hardware melt, maybe they should just bite the bullet and make PC games.

A significant amount of market research has concluded that millennials are attracted to the "latest technological devices" as well as "achievements for trivial tasks". Since millennials currently fall into the age group with the most "disposable income", many game developers are concerned with making games that appeal to that group. A game that is "last gen" or "too hard" will be seen as a "significant risk" from a financial standpoint.

I realize you can point out any number of titles that do not follow this trend. By and large, the most "profitable" games do follow this trend. So, any game studio in the clutches of a corporate mentality will go "where market research says the most money is".

 

[Karadalis]

The people who are going "oh but its not about them graphics!"...

Its not only about the graphics, its about the entire system performing rather poorly.

Wich then made the plattform very unatractive to AAA developers since it was nigh impossible to port their AAA games to it. Does anyone remember dead rising for the Wii? Even capcom couldnt pull it off.. the game was horrible compared to its other versions.

Nintendo allways wants to have its cake and eat it too... but thats not how the modern gaming world functions!

No ones going to develope a AAA title exclusively for one console only, especially one with such a limited (compared to having the big 3) market as nintendo currently has. (unless nintendo themselves foot the bill, but seeing that nintendo ALSO developes their own games thats not going to happen very often during the lifecycle of one of their consoles)

Splitscreen coop? Wich AAA game of the last couple of years had that? And who really wants to play splitscreen on a tiny tablet using flimsy small controllers that seem to be using their own batteries? (even more batteries that can run out of charge... dont forget to buy the official nintendo recharging station for 49.99 or invest heavily into batteries!)

You will have mario cart and smash brothers for that function... thats it...

It also doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that the sliding parts on the thing will eventually become loose the more you use it, thats how it works with plastic especially if you use it in its portable form alot. (remember to buy the official nintendo classic controller for another 49.99)

Also a DS is a rather solid construction, the screens are protected from scratches rather nicely if you fold it together. making it easy to take everywhere you go even if you just put it into a backpack. And yet i still cant imagine one single scenario where i would simply sit outside and play my DS in public. Im sorry but that is such an unlikely scenario.


And yet that scenario is exactly what they use as a sales argument? Taking your 300+ dollar tablet thats allmost all screen with no protection to places where it can easaly get damaged, stolen or scratched up so you can show off infront of your friends who will more likely laugh about your poor purchase desicion? (Better buy the official nintendo switch carry sheath... only 39.99)

And then theres the fact that nintendo is so paranoid about piracy that they are going to force everyone who wants to develope for their plattform to use SD cards. A move that makes the switch even more unattractive for 3rd party support since now they have to develope for Disc AND SD card and also pay for two different factory lanes... and the SD will cost them extra since theres no way they can order the same bulk amount for the switch cause compared to the other 3 it has a rather limited consumer base from the getgo. (dont forget to buy the official nintendo SD card pouch, only 29.99!)

As i said before: Handhelds dont sell. People who play mobile games are NOT looking for 60 $ AAA games, they look for things like candy crush, peggle and other time wasters. They do not want to play skyrim on teeny weeny screens. That the DS did so well in comparison to the PsP and Vita is more due to the fact that pokemon and animal crossing are still a thing and that many japanese developers like atlus, square and capcom supported the DS, thanks to nintendo striking exclusive deals with these (also compared to a big console its rather on the cheap side and ofcourse cheap to develope for) But when people buy a 300$ console they expect more. Theres a huge difference in buying a 40 dollar game now and then for your dusty DS then to look at your 300 $ switch everyday and noticing that you have nothing to play on the bloody thing and how stupid you feel for actually buying one, afterall the Wii and Wii U had the same damn problem.

Now dont get me wrong, nintendo is not going anywhere...

But i do believe that their days as console manufacturers are rather limited.

 

[gorfias]

x

Then again, I really wonder who actually thought Nintendo would come out with a some sort of superpowerful machine. Hasn't really been part of their MO, so to say.

Not recently anyway. The 8 bit NES was supposedly better than the 8 big sega machine, 16 SNES more powerful than the Sega offering, but developers figured out how to use a chip meant for timing to add even more processing power (For Starfox). The N64 was much more powerful than the PS1 (but its continued dependence upon cartridges killed them that round). Gamecube much faster, sturdier and more powerful than the PS2. But they lost. I think that's when they decided power wasn't everything.

I'm not surprised about the Switch's power. It's a tablet and a small one at that. And it is supposed to compete with a device the size of a briefcase?

I hope it does well.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Im also not really sure what market this thing is even aimed at.

The spontaneous rooftop party demographic, duh.

 

[weirdee]

They've put themselves into a tough situation, but they're making the same mistakes to try to get out of it, it seems. Rushing anything to market has never really worked out for them.

 

[Living_Brain]

To everyone saying, "no shit it's a handheld", keep in mind that they could have gotten NVIDIA's newer chip, a mobile gaming chip, that would match or beat the PS4. The ps4 is weak, and years old now; it would not have been difficult.